When his wife turns into him and disappears into the cage of his arms, it’s Sloane who turns to look up at me.
“He’s okay,” she says again.
I nod, feeling my throat go thick and the bridge of my nose sting.
She reaches for me at the same time I reach for her. All the tension between us washed away by how desperately we need each other. One of her hands grips my shirt while her right one slides inside my jacket and flattens over the tattoo. I squeeze her tight, and when her forehead presses to my chest, I drop my lips to the crown of her hair.
Like always.
“We’re all okay,” I reply roughly against her hair.
Pure relief courses through my veins.
She nuzzles against me, and I nuzzle against her. We latch onto each other like we have for the better part of our lives.
Because no matter what else is going on in the world, everything is better with her in my arms.
24
Sloane
Sloane: Give your boys hugs from me. And yourselves. I can’t believe it.
Summer: I can’t stop crying. I’m so relieved. We’re sending hugs back to you.
Willa: I’ll hug Cade for you if you bang Jasper for me.
Sloane: When I bang Jasper, I’m banging him for myself.
Summer: Ooooooo!
Willa: Possessive. I like it.
Willa: Wait. Did you say WHEN?!
I’m happy and rung out all at once. I’m back in a huge truck, but this time, Violet is behind the wheel. I’m sitting in the front passenger seat, and all three of her closest friends are in the back.
Billie, who has a knack for making us all laugh, proclaimed that unloading hay is a “boy” job and we should all go get wine to drink straight from the bottle. She’s a bit scary if I’m being honest.
She’s like Willa.
On crack.
Then there’s Mira with her black hair, keen eyes, and a knowing smirk. I feel like she knows all my deepest, darkest secrets just by glancing at me.
And Nadia, who’s a little younger, is so beautiful I can’t stop staring at her. It’s like she strutted right off a Victoria’s Secret runway and onto the farm.
They chatter happily in the back while Violet and I sit in a companionable but stunned silence up front. It’s like I didn’t realize how much tension I was carrying over Beau until the weight lifted.
Now I’m hit with a full-body exhaustion that stretches from the tips of my fingers to the ends of my toes. I could sleep for a week.
“You okay?” Violet glances at me, high ponytail flipping over her shoulder as she does.
“Yeah.” I sigh. “Just so, so tired.”
“You guys had a long journey.”
“That we did.”
Long doesn’t even begin to cover it.
A smile tugs at the corner of her lips. “I always wondered when you two would notice the other.”
My head flips to her. “Pardon?”
“You and Jasper. You’ve both been so in love with each other for so long. I saw that hug. Plus, I saw the look on his face that day when I first spilled the beans about your engagement. And on your wedding day?” She snorts. “I think he was looking for a reason to barge in there and break you out. Poor emotionally stunted idiot that he is.”
I just blink, mind whirring. “He’s not emotionally stunted.” I always jump to defend Jasper, no matter what.
Violet hits me with a sidelong glance. “Yeah, he is. I married one of those, so I know them when I see them.”
“Wait,” Nadia says. “Aren’t you guys cousins?”
Mira’s finger waves back and forth. “No. He’s the adopted brother.”
I see Nadia’s smile in the rearview mirror. “Fuck. That’s hot.”
I groan but don’t get a word in edgewise before Billie pipes up. “You should fuck him.”
I can’t help but laugh. My body shakes with it because this scenario is just too much. Emotions are too high. I’m delirious.
Violet laughs too. “Billie, that’s always your advice.”
“I tried,” I say from behind my hands because hiding while I admit this feels easier. “He said we needed to talk first.”
“But something happened?” Violet can’t hide her curiosity. She always was the chatty girl-talk type.
“Yes.” I lower my hands, staring at the roof of the truck. “Something happened.”
Billie hums thoughtfully from behind me. Like she’s about to offer profound advice. “You should demand he fuck you.”
I snort, and a different type of tears well in my eyes. They’re the good kind that come from laughing and trying to hold it back. I glance at the rearview mirror into the back seat.
“It worked for me,” Mira says with a feline smile on her lips.
“Ew. Don’t tell me these things about my brother, please.” Nadia turns away and stares out the window, a look of exaggerated disgust on her face. “You could do what I did and just drive him insane until he snaps.”
Billie pipes up again. “No. Pull a Violet. Just send him nudes.”
Violet doesn’t shy away from Billie’s statement like she might have when she was younger. Instead, a proud smile touches her face as she drives down the snowy road until we pull up to Neighbor’s Pub, the most run-down bar and liquor store I’ve ever seen. A flashing sign advertises “COLD BEER AND WINE!!!”
Exclamation marks and all.
It feels suitably dingy for the updated version of me I’m working on.
I like it already.
“Or just do what I did and make him so jealous he loses his mind, bangs on your door, and then bangs you on the kitchen counter,’’ Billie adds.
I laugh harder, so does everyone else, and warmth flickers in my chest. I’d love friendships like this in my life. I think I could have them with Willa and Summer.
When we pile out of the truck, moods lighter from cracking jokes about my hot mess of a personal life and flaming dumpster fire of a friendship slash relationship slash lifelong crush turned who the fuck knows what, I ask, “Do you think they sell Buddyz Best Beer here?”
“Fuck yes, they do,” Billie calls over her shoulder as she heaves the wooden door open.
Suddenly I don’t feel so bad about everything anymore. Everyone I love is safe and content. Violet has a happy little crew here. They found Beau. Things between Jasper and me are messy right now, but . . . it’s us.
We always end up back together somehow.
We just need to stop fighting it.
Mira’s husband, Stefan, cooked us a massive, gourmet meal. Over dinner everyone in Billie and Vaughn’s expansive house clearly shared my feeling of relief.
Vaughn cracked jokes that lightened the mood considerably. Cole and Griffin were quiet but friendly. The sense of family between all the friends warmed my heart. Wine flowed easily and so did the conversation.
The dining room windows look out over the pristine farm, and all the kids have crashed out in the enormous, sunken living room while a Disney movie still rolls on the screen.
It’s cozy and comforting, and I can tell this group of people gets together like this often. There’s a level of comfort between them I want to curl up in, but I still feel slightly removed from it all. I’m still an interloper here.
It just isn’t Chestnut Springs.